If it's squeaky-bum time at the top of the Premier League, it doesn't bear thinking about what it is like at the bottom.

Wolves need a minor miracle to avoid dropping into the
Championship but it's two from (a probable) four for the other two
relegation spots. Blackburn have had another dip in form at just
the wrong time, while Bolton are staring into the abyss. They,
however, have a crucial game in hand, away to fellow strugglers
Aston Villa at the end of the month.

The big movers this week were Queen's Park Rangers and Wigan,
both outside the drop zone with five games to play after excellent
wins at home, against Swansea and Manchester United respectively.
If Roberto Martinez keeps the Latics up again, it would surely rank
as his greatest achievement, but the Spaniard insisted yesterday
that the job is not done yet.

Martinez (left) said: "When we were bottom and second bottom I
was always looking at the last fixture of the season. We play
Blackburn and Wolves in the last two games. It would be very
foolish for us to think anything has been done. It is great to see
the points tally but we all know 13 May is the most important
thing."

Martinez hailed his side's mental strength in beating the
champions 1-0 despite the heartbreak of losing 2-1 at Chelsea on
Saturday to two offside goals.

"It has been such a tough week," he said. "But we could not feel
we had someone to blame or be sorry for ourselves. It was very
important that we focused on our performance. To perform like we
did against United, with the record we had against them (played 15
lost 15), speaks volumes about the minds of these players."

It was possibly Martinez's finest day in his three years as
manager, after which he addressed rumours of an intention to leave
in the summer.

"I heard that and was very surprised," he said. "You wonder
where that rumour is coming from. There is nothing true about it. I
signed a new deal in the summer for an extra two years."

If QPR are to stay up then it will be displays like the 3-0 win
over Swansea, a third-straight success in front of their own fans,
that will make it happen, particularly as their away form is so
poor. Only three times have they won away from Loftus Road and the
most recent, at Stoke, was in November. West Brom, Chelsea and
Manchester City are their last three away trips, with home games
against Tottenham and Stoke.

"The fans really drive us on and we feel we can give anyone a
game here," said manager Mark Hughes. "That is going to be crucial
although we will still strive to pick up away points."